Chevrolet has officially announced the specs of the diesel-powered version of the 2014 Cruze. The 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine generates 148hp and 258 pound-foot of torque. Chevrolet promises that the clean diesel engine will achieve 42 mpg on highway, which oddly enough is the same as the $5,000 cheaper Cruze ECO. The vehicle will also accelerate to 60 mph in 8.6 with its standard six-speed automatic transmission.

According to Chevrolet, clean diesel engines generate at least 90% less nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions compared to previous generation diesel power plants. In order to achieve its “clean” status, the engine uses urea injection that is supplied from a 17-liter tank. As a result, customers will lose a bit of trunk space to accommodate the urea tank. Another downside is that the tank will need to be refilled every 10,000 miles.

“Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel is the most sophisticated passenger car diesel engine GM has ever produced,” said Jens Wartha, GM global program manager and chief engineer for the Cruze’s diesel engine. “We merged European diesel expertise with the real world driving preferences of North American consumers.”

The 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel will be priced from $25,695 including destination charge. The vehicle comes with the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, a two-year maintenance plan, and a five-year 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

There's another advantage of a manual vs an auto: push start. My driveway has a decent slope to it, more than one occasion I've had the odd 'dead battery' (cold Michigan weather) so I just get rolling and pop the clutch.

As far as clutch longevity, my Mustang (and yes I drive it... aggressively...) still has the original clutch after 125,000 miles, so your 'every 3 years' statement means you must not know how to drive one properly. Every other MT I've had (and -all- my cars are MT's) usually need a new clutch at the 120-150k mark, which is about what you would expect for what is essentially a 'wear and tear' item.

Seriously, it's the equivalent of a big round circular brake pad, and you don't expect to get unlimited mileage out of those do you?

As for the rest of the MT, it is just a simpler design, and as such, the simpler it is, the longer it will last. The auto-trans may have gotten a bad rap in the 80s-90s, but they certainly have improved a great deal, and in many cases with the computer controlling the shift points - they actually can get better gas mileage than the MTs. Ultimately though, they -are- more complicated, and with more complicated machinery, it just makes it easier for something to go wrong.

That's why I like the simplicity of a MT. It's gears and levers. No hydraulic pressure. No electronic solenoids. Fewer potential points of failure.